Ships with improved shiphold arrangement



SHIPS WITH IMPROVED SI-IIPI-.IOLDv ARRANGEMENT Filed July 9.' 195e' Oct. 20,A 1959 u. sTAFFANssoN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l Oct. 20, 1959 u. sTAFFANssoN 2,909,141

I SHIPS WITH IMPROVED'SHIPHOLDARRANGEMENT Filed July 9, 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Unitd States Patent SHIPS WITH IMPROVED SHIPHOLD ARRANGEMENT Uno Staianss'on, Le Vesinet, France Application July 9, 1956, Serial No. 596,581

Claims priority, application France rJanuary 19, 1956 s Claims. (ci. 114-73) The present invention is concerned with a method of determinating the cargo spaces of a ship intended particularly for transporting bulk cargos.

It is well known that existing vessels carrying bulk cargos may be divided into two main groups. To the rst group belong the ships intended for transporting liquid products as for instance tankers, etc.

The other group consists of ships designed for transporting dry cargo in bulk, such as coal, ore, grain, etc., i.e. products having definitely varying specific gravities. Ships constructed up to now in this other group are specialized or adapted to transport a given cargo-type. Thus, ships are constructed for transporting either a certain kind of ores, or sugar, coal, etc. and in certain cases, for transporting grain. Consequently, each type of ship, for all practical purposes, is designed and used for transporting a given product alone and the main reason for this state of things lies in the fact that it is necessary to take into account both the ships stability `and stress conditions and the stowage factor of the cargo or volume weight ratio of the cargo transported which may vary within wide limits. Thus, for example, a ship designed for transporting only iron ore cannot transport more than about one-half of its dead weight if it carries coal. In the case of grain, it is furthermore necessary to take into consideration the regulations concerning the fitting of shifting boards, feeders and bins, etc.

All these reasons and legal obligations govern the conventional naval construction and obviously do not require any complementary explanation. The only point to be emphasized is `that the essential requirement is to provide a convenient stability of the ship as well as an adequate roll-period to roll-amplitude ratio. Of course, these factors are greatly influenced by the volume of cargo and the distribution of it in the vessel.

It has not been possible up tov now to construct a carrier, i.e. a ship capable without any specific adaptation or conversion to transport bulk cargo of different kinds. Now from the shipowners point of View the ideal ship would actually be a ship adapted, without requiring any modiiication-or temporary erection in relation to the cargo, to transport a full cargo irrespective of the kind of the cargo. The ideal proposition would be to obtain this adaptation without having to lit shifting boards, feeders, etc. for instance when carrying grain.

As a matter of fact it is the essential object of this invention to provide a new method of arranging the cargo compartments of a ship whereby the want of versatility of existing ships can be remedied while making due allowancev for the shipowners requirements regarding the possibility of adapting a vessel to the conveyance of a cargo as complete as possible in spite of specic weight or speciiic volume of the bulk cargo.

The method of this invention is remarkable notably in that it allows distributing the tota-l cargo into the holds and also if necessary into recessed holds in such a way that the relationship between the centre of gravity of the cargo and the metacenter height of the vessel can be ob- Patented Oct. 20, 1959 ice v the shipowner or the master will be able to arrange the positions of the centres of gravity of the respective loads contained in the various spaces (holds and complementary compartments-recessed holds) to load the ship in the best condition in view of the stability of the ship at sea and well Within permissible stress-limits.

This invention is also concerned with ships having their holds arranged according to the teachingsof this invention and remarkable notably in that they also comprise recessed holds to the ordinary holds, these complemen- 1 tary recessed holds being located at a higher level than said conventional holds with respect to the keel; in other words, the centre of gravity of the cargo contained in said complementary recessed holds will be positioned at a higher level (still with respect to the keel) than the centre of gravity of the cargo contained in the ordinary holds.

According to another feature of this invention the aforesaid complementary spaces or recessed holds are provided in the upper portions of the ordinary holds.

At least some of lthese complementary spaces or recessed holds are disposed symmetrically between two adjacent holds or between two ordinary cargo-hold hatches.

According to a further characteristic of this invention each complementary space or recessed hold is situated between two holds in the way of the bulkhead or other disposal between hold division.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the `following description proceeds with reference to the attached drawings forming part of this specification and illustrating diagrammatically by way of example a typical embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a ship constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

Figure 2 is a plane view of the ship illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken upon the line Ill-III of Figure l, i.e. about the waterline of the ship assumed to be loaded;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal diagrammatic section taken upon the line lV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a midship-section showing on a larger scale the arrangement of the ship, the section being taken upon the line V-V of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a midship-section similar to Figure 5 but taken upon the line Vl-Vl of Figure 2.

In the embodiment shown by way of example lin the drawings the ship illustrated comprises five holds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Of course, the number of holds is immaterial. Each hold 1-5 is bound by a .bottom 6 and by ship hold bulkheads 7, 7', 7 7"; l These bulkheads are constructed according to the conventional shipbuilding technique. In the example illustrated the two' end bulkheads 7, 77L extend throughout the height H of thehold,

i.e. up to the upperdeck 8 of the ship. However, the height of the other bulkheads 7', 7" 7"-1 is considerably less as the upper edge of these bulkheads does The different longitudinal and transverse bulkheads may be designed according to the conventional ship-building technique. The longitudinal bulkheads may extend throughout thelength allowedV for the holds. To simplify the disclosure and the drawings, the constructional details of these bulkheadshave been omitted.

According to this invention, complementary spacesie.

recessed holds are created in the ship, the bottom of these spaces or recessed holds being located at a higher level than the bottom of the holds proper with respect to the keel 9. These spaces are designated by the reference numerals 16, 17, 18 and 19, in the drawings.

` As a rule, it is convenient that the centre of gravityrof the cargoes filling the spaces 16 to 19 be positioned at a higher level relative to the keel 9 than the centres of Vgravity' of the cargoes contained in the ordinary holds It is evident that the ydistribution of these spaces with respect to the holds is not mandatory. It is only sufcient that their positions be such as to permit the fulfilment of the aforesaid requirement. In the example shown herein each of these spaces are positioned between two adjacent holds or between two hatchways. They can be either independent of the holds proper or arranged inthe upper portions thereof.

In this example these spaces are bound at their lower portion by a platform 20 and laterally by transverse bulkheads 21, 22. They communicate with the upperdeck of the ship through trimming hatches 23" and the hatches 16, 17, 18, 19 which may be closed by means of conventional steel-covers. The bottoms 20 of each complementary space are supported by the corresponding bulkheads 7, but if necessary reinforced arch construction 24 may be provided as shown in Figure 4. Therheight h will be determined with a View to comply with the above-disclosed requirement concerning the centre of gravity.

Of course, the complementary spaces i.e. the recessed v holds may be further divided into central spaces 16, 17, 18, 19 and lateral spaces 16', 16", 17", 17, 18', 18", 19', 19, each provided with lateral hatches 23', 23".

Referring now -to Figure 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the complementary spaces 17, 17', 17" `located between the two holds 2, 3 are Supported in the centerline of the ship by brackets or arch construction 24, 24', and 25, 25' transversally so as to partly transfer the weight of the cargo carried by these bottoms to the external parts of the vessel. Y

The bulkheads forming the spaces 16 to 19 may be either water-tight or non-Water tight, this depending on the necessity of having these spaces lled with water or not when ballasting.

Figure 6, showing the cross-section ofhold 2, the

lateral portions of this hold communicate with the main space 2 through the struts 26, 27.

The practicaluse of a ship constructed according to the present invention will now be described, assuming that a ship has a dead weight of about 19,000 tons and that `18,300tons of cargo, in addition to about 700 tons of bunkers, etc. will be carried and that the total capacity of the cargo spaces (main holds and recessed ones) is equal to about 1,000,000 cubic feet, distributed as follows:

. Cu. ft. Holds No. 1 to 5 825,000 Central compartment of recessed holds 97,500 Wing compartments of recessed holds 97,500

main holds 1 to 5 may be filled partly (as illustrated for example at 2S in Figure 4) and the central complementary holds 16 to 19 may be filled completely (as shown at 29 in Figure 4).

In the case of heavy grain having a stowage factor of 45 cu. ft./ ton the main holds 1 to 5 will be lled by using the corresponding hatches 11 and the trimming hatches 14, 15 without having to use other shifting boards than the built in and existing ones 12, 13.

In the case of light-grain cargo having a stowage factor equal to 56 cu. ft./ton, it will be sucient to till up all the spaces available.

In the case of ballast, it will be suihcient to fill up the double bottom and the central and/or lateral portions of the recessed holds. e

The advantages deriving from a ship thus designed are very important.- It is always Aadalittableto any possible cargoesV and to ballast as well. Furthermore, the shipowner or shipmastel can distribute the cargo and/ or theballast as desired by taking into consideration the stowage factors.

Moreover, the ship becomes what is usually called a selftrimmer,ri.e. a ship characterized by a natural stowing or trimming which can dispense with any mechanical 'or manual assistance for e'ecting or completing the loading. In fact, as already explained hereinabove, the cargo vis loaded directly into the cargo spaces in which a heap having a natural angle of repose builds up, and the loading can be completed it necessary by filling more or less the whole or part of the complementary spaces or recessed holds.

In addition, the ship retains its single-decker features andV properties.

Another advantage results from the possibility of having the longitudinal bulkheads in the recessed holds, as

'well as the built in shifting boards in the holds aligned and therefore they will contribute in reinforcing the ship in the longitudinal direction.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the single embodiment shown and described herein, as many modilications may be brought thereto Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a single deck ship having a plurality of main holds distributed along the longitudinal axis of said ship and opening into the upper deck by a plurality of hatch- Ways, bottom and transversal bulkheads for bounding said main holds, said transversal bulkheads extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship and being of a substantially reduced height relative to the height of said'main holds while extending from the bottom to a level substantially lower than said single deck, and a plurality of complementary spaces disposed each above one of said transversal bulkheads and substantially symmetrically on both sides of said transversal bulkheads, said complementary spaces extending substantially' from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship and opening into said single deck by hatchways disposed between the hatchways of said main holds, said hatchways of said main holds and said complementary spaces being disposed for direct loading of the cargo in said main holds and said complementary spaces.

2. In a single deck ship with a plurality of inner storage spaces: a plurality of main holds distributed along the longitudinal axis of said ship and opening into said deck by a plurality of main hatchway's, bottom and transversal bulkheads for bounding said main holds, said transversal bulkheads extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship and being of a substantially reduced height relative to the Whole height of said main holds below said single deck while extending substantially from the bottom to a level lower than said deck, and a plurality of complementary spaces disposed each above one of said transversal bulkheads and substantially symmetrically on both sides of said transversal bulkhead, said complementary spaces extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship and opening into said single deck by complementary hatchways, said complementary hatchways alternating with the main hatchways of said main holds, said hatchways being disposed each centrally straight above the relevant storage space for direct loading of the cargo in said storage space.

3. In a single deck ship with a plurality of inner storage spaces: a plurality of main holds distributed along the longitudinal axis of said ship and opening into said deck by a plurality of main hatchways, bottom and transversal bulkheads for bounding said main holds, said transversal bulkheads extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship and being of a substantially reduced height relative to the Whole height of said main holds below said single deck while extending substantially from the bottom to a level lower than said deck, a plurality of complementary spaces disposed each above one of said transversal bulkheads and substantially symmetrically on both sides of said transversal bulkheads, said complementary spaces extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship, longitudinal bulkheads for dividing each of said complementary spaces into a central complementary space disposed along the longitudinal axis of the ship and two lateral complementary spaces located at either side of said central complementary space, said central complementary spaces opening into said single deck by cornplementary hatchways alternating with the main hatchways of said main holds, said hatchways being disposed each centrally straight above the relevant storage space for direct loading of the cargo in said storage space.

4. In a single deck ship with a plurality of inner storage spaces: a plurality of main holds distributed along the longitudinal axis of said ship and opening into said deck by a plurality of main hatchways, bottom and transversal bulkheads for bounding said main holds, said transversal bulkheads extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of lthe ship and being of a substantially reduced height relative to the Whole height of said main holds below said single deck while extending substantially from the bottom to a level lower than said deck, a plurality of complementary spaces disposed each above one of said transversal bulkheads and substantially symmetrically on both sides of said transversal bulkheads, said complementary spaces extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship, longitudinal fluid-tight bulkheads for dividing each of said complementary spaces into a central complementary space disposed along the longitudinal axis of the ship and two lateral tanks for ballast purposes located at either side of said central complementary space, said central cornplementary spaces opening into said single deck by complementary hatchways alternating with the main hatchways of said main holds, said hatchways being disposed each centrally straight above the relevant storage space for direct loading of the cargo in said storage space.

5. In a single deck ship with a plurality of inner storage spaces: a plurality of main holds distributed along the longitudinal axis of said ship and opening into said deck by a plurality of main hatchways, bottom and transversal bulkheads for bounding said main holds, said transversal bulkheads extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship and being of a substantially reduced height relative to the whole height of said main holds below said single deck while extending substantially from the bottom to a level lower than. said deck, a plurality of complementary spaces disposed each above one of said transversal bulkheads and substantially symmetrically on both sides of said transversal bulkheads, said complementary spaces extending substantially from one to the other of the lateral sides of the ship, and longitudinal bulkheads for dividing each of said complementary spaces into a central complementary space disposed along the longitudinal axis of the ship and two lateral complementary spaces located at either side of said central complementary space, said central complementary spaces opening into said single deck by complementary hatchways alternating with the main hatchways of said main holds, said hatchways being disposed each centrally straight above the relevant storage space for direct loading of the cargo in said storage spaces, said longitudinal bulkheads extending substantially throughout the whole length of lthe ship for constituting in said main holds, between said central complementary spaces, fixed shifting boards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 225,581 Ferguson Mar. 16, 1880 240,460 Rainey et al Apr. 19, 1881 704,362 Oldham July 8, 1902 1,111,740 Frear Sept. 29, 1914 1,366,269 McDonald Jan. 18, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS 76,827 Norway May 8, 1950 260,675 Great Britain Nov. 5, 1926 

